Contact: Kim Vacariu 520-558-0165 <kim@wildlandsnetwork.

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Mexican Send-off Festivities Honor Trekker Davis

Surprises abound during 6-day exploration of remote Jaguar Reserve
John Daviss TrekWest began with a resounding TrekWest lauch ceremony in Hermosillo, Sonora and a day-long send-off fiesta hosted by the tiny village of Sahuaripa at the southern edge of the vast Northern Jaguar Reserve. Following these festivities, he spent the first six days of his historic conservation journey alternating between hiking and riding horseback through some of the toughest terrain he may face on his 5,000-mile international trek to promote wildlife corridor protection. Im honored to have been received almost like a dignitary, said Davis of the outpouring of public support hes received. Even though I have to rely on an interpreter to deliver my message of Say Yes to Wildlife Corridors, the wonderful people of Sonora have had no trouble grasping the importance of healthy and connected wildlife habitat. And once theyre engaged they realize that there are connectivity projects they can support right here in Sonora. Davis TrekWest partners in Sonora, including Mexicos best-known conservation organization, Naturalia, and Northern Jaguar Project, which manages the 70-square-mile jaguar reserve, played a huge role in generating local excitement and interest in the adventure. Naturalias regional director, Juan Carlos Bravo, was treated like a conservation rock star, says Davis, who was joined by scores of bicycle riders as he left Hermosillo heading for Sahuaripa, where a community fiesta organized by Northern Jaguar Project flooded the streets with young students holding drawings of that regions fabled icon of the wild. The send-offs were quickly followed by Davis first miles on the trail of TrekWest, a week of hiking and riding horseback through some of the most difficult terrain he has ever encountered. Riding horseback with a group of local residents in a traditional cabalgata procession, he immediately experienced what he says was one of the scariest 10 minutes Ive known, passing through dense, head-high thorn scrub along the steep side of a canyon on a fortunately surefooted packhorse. Any misstep could have been disastrous, said the adventurer, who admitted he hadnt ridden in more than 15 years. -more-

Page 2 TrekWest News But Davis challenges, which were punctuated by sightings of coveted jaguar and ocelot tracks, were not over, as the trekker had to wade the cold, swift, chest-deep water at the confluence of the Aros and Bavispe rivers carrying his backpack above his head before exiting the jaguar reserve. Once out of the reserve and into more hikeable terrain, Davis realized for the first time the value of the beautiful handcrafted Zuni jaguar fetish he carried in his pocket for good luck. Davis next joins partners from Tutuaca Mountain School and Cuenca los Ojos for the trek east across the rugged Sierra Madre Occidental into Chihuahua, and north to the U.S.Mexico border at Cajon Bonito to view the corridor fragmentation posed by miles of border security infrastructure. For more information about TrekWest visit trekwest.org where Wildlands Networks petition promoting protection of wildlife habitat corridors can be signed, and where Davis regular blogs, posts and tweets can be seen along with TrekWest trail maps, photos, and more. -end-